Blog Entry
Sunday, October 26, 2008 - N.G.A. Granite State Open, Dover, New Hampshire
On Friday, Michael Jackson, my training partner and I flew from Birmingham, Alabama to Manchester, New Hampshire to help with the 2008 N.G.A.Granite State Open Bodybuilding Championship and Figure Competition held in nearby Dover. The 14th annual contest was held at the Dover High School Auditorium and attracted more than 40 competitors (60+) with crossovers in Women’s Figure, Novice Men and Novice Women, Masters Men and Masters Women and Open Men and Open Women. While the Men’s Novice Class was the largest (18 competitors), every class except the Novice Women (one) had competition. Nine Figure women competed, up from three just a few years ago.
Laura Tourtellot, affectionately known throughout the fitness world as "Turtle," asked me to be one of her judges. It was the 10th time I have judged a show. Michael Jackson, who is training with me for his first bodybuilding competition next year, worked back stage as a facilitator and tried to soak up first-hand some of the last minute contest prep that goes on before every show.
We arrived in Manchester on Friday evening at 6 PM and drove to Portsmouth, the site of the host hotel and check in. We spent some time with Turtle and then went to dinner.
The next morning, we arrived at Dover High School at 8 AM to help with the set up. Laura has her act together and has a great group of volunteers who make sure everything is done to Ms Turtle’s satisfaction and to her exact specs. She calls her show a "Production" and it is. The smallest detail is deftly handled. And, as a result, once again, her show went off without a single hitch.
Prejudging began at 1:30 PM and ended a couple of hours later. The night show kicked off at 6:30 and we were done by 9:30. Many of the show’s competitors are repeat athletes. They like doing Turtle’s show and so did Michael and I.
We finally returned to our hotel at around 1 AM Sunday morning, got up at 3 AM, drove back to Manchester and caught our flight at 5:45. We arrived back in Birmingham in time to go to Church.
A big highlight for Michael was to meet Sean "Sully" Sullivan. Sully was also one of the judges. Michael has "known" Sully for the past year as we have worked through several of the exercise guru’s training plans. Many times, Michael has been heard to groan, "darn that Sully," as we completed a hard set of heavy lifting. Sully is a pro competitor, show promoter and fitness expert. I have most of my bodybuilding athletes at the YMCA using his workouts under my supervision. Thanks, Sul. You’re the best.
I haven’t been to a bodybuilding show since my last competition in June. Seeing this show and catching the scent of posing oil and Pam got me all worked up. I will hit the gym with a little more intensity tomorrow. My next contest is in June, 2009. I wish it were next week.
